Ukranian swing-a-billy group Banditoz Band came out with their first full album release last October. After a bit of a struggle I was finally able to get my hands on it (and you can now download it here for free http://www.sendspace.com/file/tdjtv2). Don’t let the hipster art confuse you, there is nothing hipster about these guys. They take the style and sound of a swing group from the big band era and compress it into a rockabilly group creating an unforgettable sound.

The album is vocally stunning, and is at the top of my list for eastern European vocals in my library. The lyrics are great and there are no instrumentals! The best song on the album is “Booze and Sewer Rats” which was also the first free download they made available. Dance Dance Dance! and Wake Up Sinners are also great songs, though Track 13 is perhaps one of the least inspirational song title I have ever seen, but the low point of the album has to be the song has to be Dirty Harry, and to a lesser extent the remix. Neither of which are particularly bad songs, but compared to the rest of the album they do not shine as much and are not as memorable as.

As with almost all eastern european albums there are non-English songs. Sadly there is no translation, but all three songs kick ass.

A few words come to mind when I hear the album; catchy, energetic, and unique. If for some reason it is not available for free download at any point, then find a contact, book a flight, hitchhike or walk all the way to Ukraine to see these guys live and pick up an album.